Bylaws amendment to offer an additional option of ranked voting during elections
Whereas, The current election process has at times proved cumbersome when many candidates are running; therefore, be it
Resolved, That Article VI – ELECTION PROCEDURES be amended to as follows:
Article VI: ELECTION PROCEDURES
Section 1. Election shall be by a majority of the votes cast for any office, with all voting delegates eligible to vote.
Section 2. Elections shall be conducted by secret ballot with the exception of any position for which only one candidate is nominated, in which case the candidate so nominated shall be declared elected by acclamation.
Section 3. Following the close of nominations, the Election Committee shall print the necessary ballots for the initial vote for all contested offices, and for any subsequent votes, including run-off elections. The ballots shall clearly state the names of candidates, the office for which they are nominated, and the voting instructions to the delegates. The Election Committee shall distribute and collect the ballots ensuring that only one ballot per voting delegate is provided.
Section 4. The Election Committee shall count the votes cast for each candidate and shall announce the results to the Chairperson or President, who shall make the results known to the candidates and voting delegates. Should both the Chairperson and President offices be open for election, the Governing Board will designate another officer to receive and communicate the results.
Section 5. In elections for a single office, the candidate receiving a majority of votes cast shall be declared the winner. In case of a tie, or if no candidate receives a majority of votes, there shall be repeated ballots. On each subsequent ballot, the candidate who received the fewest votes on the previous ballot shall be removed from further consideration, except in the event of a tie for the fewest votes. Any other candidate is permitted, but not required, to withdraw after each ballot. Balloting shall continue until one (1) candidate receives a majority of votes cast.
[The order of Sections 6 and 7 were switched]
Section 6. In elections for multiple Member-at-Large positions, the top two (2) vote-getters shall be declared elected provided they both received a majority of votes cast. If only one (1) candidate receives a majority of votes, that candidate shall be declared elected, and there shall be repeated ballots for the remaining office, which shall follow the procedures in Section 5 herein. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, there shall be repeated ballots. On each subsequent ballot, the candidate who received the fewest votes on the previous ballot shall be removed from further consideration, except in the event of a tie for the fewest votes. Any candidate is permitted, but not required, to withdraw after each ballot. Balloting shall continue until either one candidate receives a majority of votes cast and the remaining office is filled by the procedures in Section 5, or at least two candidates receive a majority of votes cast. For purposes of this Section 67, the term “majority of votes cast” means majority of ballots cast by the delegates.
Section 7. Should there be Member-at-Large positions for both two (2) year and one (1) year terms, elections shall be held first for the two (2) year MAL positions. Once those positions have been filled, any two (2) year position candidate (including those who withdraw or are removed according to the procedures in Sections 5 and 67) may stand for election for the one (1) year position if s/he so chooses.
Section 8. The Governing Board, at its discretion, may elect to use an alternative, ranked ballot election procedure for any or all elections, in accordance with the following:
Section 8. (a) On each ballot, the voter will rank the candidates from highest preference to lowest preference. The absence of a ranking for a candidate shall be interpreted to mean an absence of support for that candidate’s election.
Section 8. (b) If any candidate is ranked highest on a majority of ballots, they shall be elected.
Section 8. (c) If no candidate is ranked highest on a majority of ballots, the candidate with the least number of highest rankings shall be removed from consideration.
Section 8. (d) In the case that more than one candidate shares the least number of highest rankings, the following tiebreaking criteria will be used in the sequence listed, with the next criterion used only if more than one candidate is tied on the previous criterion, and then only among those candidates so tied:
Section 8. (d.1) Least number of highest rankings using the initial ballot count
Section 8. (d.2) Lowest average ranking using the initial ballot count, with a candidate who received no ranking deemed to have received a ranking one lower than the lowest ranking.
Section 8. (d.3) Random selection via coin toss (or other procedure as determined by the Governing Board if more than two candidates are tied on all the other criteria)
Section 8. (e) Counting shall continue using the procedure in Section 8.(b-d) until a candidate is elected or all candidates have been removed.
Section 8. (f) In an election for more than one position, once a candidate has been elected, counting will begin again with all removed candidates returned to consideration and the already elected candidate(s) removed.
Section 9. Except for the appointment of a proxy as set forth in Article VII Section 2.(b) no proxy voting shall be permitted.
Resolution adopted by unanimous consent to thank Sherrod Brown for his actions to preserve pension plans for millions of workers whose pension funds were saved from insolvency
Whereas, Sherrod Brown served the state of Ohio in the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 2007 and in the United States Senate from 2007 to 2025; and
Whereas, During Senator Brown’s tenure he became aware of the desperate funding issues many multiemployer pension plans were facing and the resulting likelihood of significant benefit cuts for working and retired musicians; and
Whereas, In 2017 and again in 2019, Senator Brown introduced legislation named for the former president of Teamsters Local 100 in Cincinnati, Butch Lewis, that would have established a separate division in the Treasury Department to offer low interest loans to funds facing insolvency; and
Whereas, Despite previous attempts that failed in committee, Senator Brown reintroduced the Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act of 2021 [S547] that was then incorporated into the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which passed in the House on February 27, 2021 and the Senate on March 6, 2021, and was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021; and
Whereas, The majority of member orchestras of ICSOM participate in the American Federation of Musicians and Employers’ Pension Fund (AFM-EPF), which before the passage of ARPA faced serious funding deficiencies that would have resulted in cuts to benefits that had been earned and promised to working and retired musicians; and
Whereas, the AFM-EPF received Special Financial Assistance (SFA) under ARPA in August 2024; and
Whereas, The SFA provided the AFM-EPF with the additional funding it required so that, based on assumptions required by ARPA, it would be projected to be able to pay benefits and administrative expenses through 2051, without any reduction to earned benefits; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the officers and delegates to the 2025 ICSOM Conference offer their immense gratitude for Sherrod Brown’s hard work, dedication, and persistence in supporting the millions of workers whose pension funds were saved from insolvency through the Special Financial Assistance package in the American Rescue Plan Act, and for his steadfast support of labor unions and workers across the country.
Resolution adopted to encourage taking action to protect democracy
Whereas, Since January 2025, the Trump administration and its allies in Congress have taken actions harmful to ICSOM orchestras, unions, workers, and democratic institutions, by paralyzing labor enforcement at the National Labor Relations Board, weakening the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, curtailing collective bargaining rights for federal employees, undermining DEI efforts, restricting arts funding, expanding ICE detention (while ignoring due process), deploying federal troops and agents to cities, politicizing the Department of Justice, and retaliating against media and higher education; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the officers and delegates to the 2025 ICSOM conference exhort all ICSOM members to take regular and meaningful action to protect our democracy and support the Constitution of the United States and the rule of law, including (but not limited to) organizing and attending protests, communicating with elected officials, and bolstering others in like-minded actions.
Resolution adopted by unanimous consent to thank and honor Robert Levine as he retires from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
Whereas, Robert Levine has had a long and distinguished career as a symphonic musician, performing as principal violist of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, The Oklahoma City Symphony, and the London (Ontario) Symphony, as well as performing as a chamber musician in the Orford Quartet in residence at the University of Toronto; and
Whereas, His leadership in the orchestral field led him to serve on countless orchestra and negotiating committees for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and as its ICSOM delegate from 1988-93, again in 2006-10, and one final time in 2024-25; and
Whereas, From 1993 to 1996 he served as editor of Senza Sordino until his election as ICSOM chairperson in 1996, a position he held until 2002; and
Whereas, Robert is also a well-known observer and a prolific writer about issues concerning orchestra musicians, having penned articles for the American Federation of Musicians, the League of American Orchestras, the Symphony Orchestra Institute, and the Association for Union Democracy, as well as his own insightful blog, The AFM Observer; and
Whereas, Robert was at the technological forefront in establishing ICSOM’s online presence, first an online newsletter, DOS Orchestra, of which 58 issues were published and emailed, and then two years later a more elaborate Internet mailing list, Orchestra-L, providing news and a forum for discussion; and
Whereas, He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the League of American Orchestras and is the current president of the Milwaukee Musicians Association, Local 8 AFM; and
Whereas, Robert announced his intention to retire in August 2025 from his position with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra after 38 seasons; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the officers and delegates to the 2025 ICSOM Conference congratulate Robert Levine on his retirement from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra as principal violist, thank him for his incredible body of work on behalf of unionized musicians throughout the world, and offer him best wishes and success in his future endeavors.
Resolution adopted by unanimous consent to thank Kimberly Tichenor as she steps down as ICSOM Member-at-Large
Whereas, Kimberly Tichenor joined the second violin section of the Louisville Orchestra in 2000 and has held the position of assistant (now associate) principal second violin since 2010; and
Whereas, Throughout most of her tenure with the Louisville Orchestra, Kimberly has been deeply involved serving her colleagues as a member of the Musicians’ Committee; and
Whereas, As chair of the Louisville Orchestra Musicians’ Committee for many years, she fearlessly led and helped guide her colleagues as they faced bankruptcy and other crises; and
Whereas, She has also served her orchestra since 2012 as alternate ICSOM delegate when periodically attending ICSOM conferences; and
Whereas, Kimberly has served twice as ICSOM member-at-large, first from 2016 to 2019, and again from 2023 to 2025; and
Whereas, Kimberly has indicated that she will step down from her position as member-at-large following the 2025 ICSOM conference; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the officers and delegates to the 2025 ICSOM conference thank Kimberly Tichenor for her outstanding service as ICSOM member-at-large and offer her their best wishes for success and happiness in all her future endeavors.
Resolution adopted by unanimous consent to thank Peter de Boor as he steps down as ICSOM Treasurer
Whereas, Peter de Boor has served as third horn of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and Washington National Opera Orchestra (KCOHO/WNOO) since 1997; and
Whereas, Peter’s vocation changed dramatically while working towards a PhD in mathematics, when he decided to pursue a career in music; and
Whereas, Peter received his Master of Music in Horn Performance from the University of Michigan, following previous mathematics degrees from the University of Chicago, Cambridge University and Princeton University; and
Whereas, In 1998, a year after joining the KCOHO/WNOO he was elected to serve on the Orchestra Committee as treasurer and then as its chair beginning in 2012, while also serving as ICSOM delegate from 2008 to 2013 and again from 2023 to the present; and
Whereas, Peter has served on a national level as editor of Senza Sordino from 2014 to 2021 and as ICSOM treasurer from 2021 to 2025, as well as serving on ICSOM’s Electronic Media Committee and as one of two ICSOM AFM Strike Fund trustees since 2019; and
Whereas, Peter has been a valued advisor, friend, and unparalleled proof-reader who had assisted numerous board members in their tasks during his tenure on the ICSOM Governing Board; and
Whereas, Peter also served on the Executive Board of Local 161-710 in Washington, DC, and was recently appointed Local 161-710’s secretary-treasurer; and
Whereas, Peter announced his intention to step down as ICSOM treasurer to more fully serve his colleagues in Washington, DC following this conference; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the officers and delegates to the 2025 ICSOM conference offer their immeasurable thanks to Peter de Boor for his service as ICSOM’s editor and treasurer, and offer their best wishes and expectations that whatever Peter puts his efforts toward in the future will be a huge success.
Additional resolution adopted by unanimous consent to name Peter de Boor both Treasurer (with the addition of Editor) Emeritus
Resolved, That the officers and delegates to the 2025 ICSOM conference confer the title of Editor and Treasurer Emeritus on Peter de Boor.
